


intriguing possibilities

by afrocurl, ninemoons42



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Teachers, Inspired by Music, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-23
Updated: 2013-03-23
Packaged: 2017-12-06 04:19:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/731373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afrocurl/pseuds/afrocurl, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninemoons42/pseuds/ninemoons42
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For two men in love, there are things that need to be secret, even if those secrets need to be kept at work.</p><p>Damn their horrible principal!</p>
            </blockquote>





	intriguing possibilities

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the secret relationship square of our trope-bingo card.

In the comfort of what he now thinks of as _their_ space, music slowly starts to echo off the walls. All it takes is one simple click of the remote and the day washes away.

Swaying to the slow beat of Nina Simone, Charles makes his way towards Erik, who is laid out and waiting for him in their room.

“I hope you like the choice tonight,” Charles says when he finally enters their bedroom. Erik is spread wide, inviting, saying nothing though he moves himself to the beat of the music from the living room. “Since you _asked_ for it and all.”

Erik’s grin is remorseless and needy. “I do, but I’d like it even more if you’d be here with me.”

Charles doesn’t hesitate and covers Erik’s lips with his own as Nina croons about how good she feels.

-

Here is a top five list of things Erik really, really hates - the kind of hate that occasionally makes him want to reach for a really heavy or really blunt weapon.

One - Students misplacing their common sense or, failing that, simple human logic

Two - Improperly de-slushed sidewalks

Three - Traffic jams

Four - Music he doesn’t know and doesn’t care about being blared in his general direction

Five - Long, long, _long_ meetings that do nothing but waste his time, which is limited enough as it is.

The problem is, he can easily avoid all the rest; case in point, he’s got an entire process for getting away from the first item on the list, usually involving some really interesting problem sets and/or manually finding the square root of something.

There is no getting away from the fifth point.

Not when the man calling those meetings and presiding over them is the principal.

It’s likely a criminal understatement, emphasis on _criminal_ , to say that no one in the school likes him.

By the time this week’s meeting finally peters out into its long, unnecessarily drawn-out end, Erik’s in no mood for anyone or anything he doesn’t like, and he’s maybe actively looking for someone to vent at.

He makes a point out of sneering at Charles and he hopes to hell that no one notices how he’s actually leaning in toward the man as they both wait impatiently for the break room to warm up.

And then Jean makes the mistake of whistling, and the first few bars are obviously big-voiced and the tempo is so clearly the wrong kind of bouncy for Erik’s tastes.

He knows exactly what this song is and he knows who to blame as to _why_ he even knows it at all.

“Please don’t do that,” he says under his breath, quietly enough that everyone in the break room hears it.

Then he levels a glare at Jean, and another at Charles, before he leaves without even picking up his coffee.

-

Given the terrifying glare that Erik had sent Jean’s way at the end of the day, Charles is unsure of how to best proceed with their plans tonight. He thinks better of putting on some Aretha, knowing that there is no reason to raise Erik’s ire when they ought to be spending their time otherwise engaged.

He is grateful that he and Erik both live far enough away from school that no one will find them together. The idea of being fired by Shaw simply because they broke one of his stupid and completely arbitrary rules raises his ire like no other.

But he quickly drives Shaw and the rules of the school out of his thoughts. He’s waiting, like he does often, for Erik to arrive.

There needs to be something to fill the empty space, and so Charles goes to his CDs and looks for something that will occupy his mind. Everything that calms him, though, he knows Erik hates for being too slow, too melodic.

Mixed in with his collection, though, is a very dark cover that seems to be like Erik’s handiwork. He has never imagined Erik to be a fan of soundtracks, but as the music starts, Charles sees why Erik made the purchase.

Just as the bass line kicks in, Charles hears a knock on his door. Opening it up quickly, he looks at Erik’s unexpected smile. “You found my gift, I see.”

“I did, and I can see why you like this one.” The beat is rhythmic and he can appreciate how thoroughly the music washes away everything he’s been thinking of today.

“Then why don’t we keep up with listening by the couch,” Erik adds and he pushes himself into Charles’ space.

The bag of take-out lies forgotten on the floor as _The Social Network_ soundtrack bounces off the walls, the wailing music intermixed with their own strangled cries.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from one song on The Social Network OST, referenced.


End file.
